River sunset
Gold above the water.
Joachim Huber from Switzerland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Joachim Huber from Switzerland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Joachim Huber from Switzerland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Austine Situmbeko — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Austine Situmbeko — CC BY-SA 4.0
Lower Zambezi National Park lies on the north bank of the Zambezi River in south-east Zambia, with Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe on the opposite shore. Mountains ring the floodplain, so the valley forms a wide, calm scene. It is one of the finest places in the country to watch animals from a boat. Until 1983 the area was the private game reserve of Zambia's president, and in that year it was declared a national park. This shielded it from mass tourism, and it remains one of the few largely untouched wild areas left in Africa. The land slopes gently from the Zambezi Escarpment down to the river, with miombo woodland on higher ground and mopane lower down. Trips go by boat or canoe on broad water, with elephants standing among green grass on the bank, along with hippos, crocodiles and African skimmers with their orange bills. On land, big lone trees stand on yellow ground, with the far escarpment behind the plain. Late in the day the sun sets over the water and the whole horizon turns gold. It is about 142 km from Lusaka in a straight line, but getting here takes hours by road, or a small flight to the camps. Book your stay and activities ahead, as places are few and some close in the rains. The dry months from June to October suit best. Follow your guide in the canoe, and keep your hands out of the water because of crocodiles.
Gold above the water.
In the bank's grass.
Orange bills.
North bank of the Zambezi River, south-east Zambia
Usually not, as the road is long, and at least two nights are better.
Expert guides lead it and keep clear of hippos, but follow their instructions exactly.